Review Detail

Reader reviewed by librariane

Michaels life became complicated when his mother married Walker, a big lawyer in Miami. His
mother swears shes sticking to the marriage all for him, but Michael wishes his mother would
leave the abusive situation. She claims that Walker will kill them both if she tries to leave, so she continues to live in fear. Michael finds a way of escape through the carnival that comes to town, especially through a girl named Kirsten. She encourages him to run away with them and be a
carnie, and Michael is about to, when something drastic happens at home to make him rethink
leaving.

Told in alternating chapters of then and now, readers get to see the whole picture of what
happened the fateful night Michael decides to run away from home. This format lends itself well
to this story, as it is a fast-paced, action-packed novel. Michael is a believable character, despite the flip-flopping chapters, and readers will be able to sympathize with him and his situation (i.e. I got mad at his mom, too, when she refused to admit she was in trouble). Many teens may not be able to fully identify with this book, but they will be able to find some aspects of the book true to their own lives.

Note: There is a bit of language in the book, the husband is abusing the wife, and the murder is partially described (blood splatters, etc.).